Automatic grain-weigher.



I A. G. YERK.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN WEIGHER. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909. ZSHBETS-SHEET 1.

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A.G.YERK. AUTOMATIC GRAIN WEIGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

| vwantoz MM n ALBERT G. YERK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN-WEIGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1.2, 1909.

Application filed May 13, 1909 Serial No. 495,696.

fication.

This invention relates to automatic weighers or meters for rain, or thelike, and has particular reference to certain details of constructionwhich render devices of this kind more accurate and durable with respectto their, automatic operation.

Theinvention comprises certain specific details of constructionhereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein similar parts are referred to by likereference characters, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partlybroken away; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation; Fig. 3 is a detail of thecontroller, the parts being in a different position from that indicatedin Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of one of the parts of thecontroller; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line of Fig. 1.

The invention comprises a drum mpunted to rotate with and upon aceiptral shaft 11 ournaled at or near its ends in a rigid frame 12. Saidframe comprises arcshaped members 13 opposite the-ends ofthe drum,vertical connecting bars 14, horizontal bars 15, and: a longitudinalbrace 16 connecting the otherwise free ends .'of the bars 15. As shownin Fig. 1 the members and 13 are connected-by a brace or bracket 17having an upward extension 18.

The drum 10 is substantially cylindrical in general configuration havingcircular ends l9and 19 and between said ends being provided withlongitudinal partit ons or webs 20 whereby a plurality ofpockets 21 areprovided. ,As illustrated there are three of said pockets21 extendingthroughout the length of the drum. n A hopper 22, adapted to receivegrain or other-material to be handled from a threshing machine or anyother suitableconveyer is supported upon the frame 12 in such a manneras to direct the material through the spout 22 ther f into the adjacentpocket 21. A

trap door 23 is adapted to close said spout when. it is desired to stopthe flow of material from the hopper.

A scale beam 24 is pivoted at 25 to the extension 18 aforesaid and isprovided with a finger 26 extending on theside of the pivot oppositethat end of the scale beam which carries the adjustable weight 27.Said-- weight indicates the amount of material to be received at eachvcharge or operation of the device in the usual manner and may beprovided with a set screw 27 to hold it in adjusted position if desired.The end 19 of the drum carries many studs 28, 28, and 28" as'there arepockets 21, said studs being adapted to engage said finger 26successively. In the position indicated in Fig. 1 one of the pockets issupposed to be receiving material from the hopper 22, the stud 28 atsuch time being engaged by the finger 26. The pocket below the onereceiving the material is supposed to be dumping its load througlradischarge spout 29, andthe third pocket having its mouth open as shownin Fig. 2 is awaiting its turn to be brought beneath the hopper 22 onthe next operation. As soon asthe desired Weight ofmate-rialis receivedinto the pocket being loaded, such weight will cause the stud 28 toslide over the end of the finger 26, the scale beam 24 being lifted atsuch time. The Web. 20 at the upper side of said loaded pocket will thenwipe against the bottom of thetrap door 23 closing the same and holdingit closed until the next pocket is reached, when the trap door will openpermitting the flow of material into said next pocket.

The weight of the material which causes the rotation of the drumautomatically would tend after such rotation is permitted by the finger26 to cause the drum to rotate either too "far or too rapidly and hencelnterfere with the proper discharge of material therefrom: To providefor a proper regnla tion of such rotation both as to speed and precisionof stoppage there is provided apeculiar controller comprising a brakeshoe 30 pivoted at 31 to the bracket 17. In the operation just describedthis stud 28 after leaving the finger'26'will wipe against the lowercurved surface of the brake shoe 30, which surface is eccentric to theaxis of P0- tation of the drum, said eccentricity being normallymaintained by virtue of a spring .32 which bearsagainst an abutment 33of the frame at one end and against adjustable nuts 34 at its otherends, and said nuts are carried by a plunger 35 pivoted to the brakeshoe. The purpose of said adjustment is to vary the control of the speedof rotation in shoulder 30 of the brake shoe.

n otch 30 thereof.

accordance with the different weights of materials operated upon. Thefree end of the brake shoe carries a hook 3G pivoted thereto The hook asindicated in Fig. is slotted at 36 and straddles the lower end of thebrake shoe. A connecting rod 38 is pivoted at 39 to the hook and servesnormally to hold the hook in the position indicated in Fig. 1. A spring40 surrounds the connectingrod 38 but is lighter than the aforesaidspring The extreme free end of the brake shoe 30 is notched at 30 whichreceives the stud 28 at the time the stud 28 is being heldby the finger26. Pursuing the operation above begun when the stud 28 leaves thelinger and subsequently 00- operates with the brake shoe to control thespeed of rotation of the drum, the mass of material carried by themoving pocket will cause the said stud 28 to lift the brake shoe intothe position indicated in Fig. 3 against the tension of the spring 32.At such time the spring will insure that thehook 36 will be depressedinto the path of said stud 28 to receive the same and thereby positivelystop the rotation of the drum. The down ward movement of the hook islimited by a Substantially coincident with the engagement of the stud 28with the hook 36 the stud 2i will impinge against the finger 26, thelinger and its lever 24 being held in receiving position by the factthat the weight 27 would be supported by the bar at such time. A spring23 associated with the trap door 23 may be employed to cushion theimpact of the drum therewith and to insure that the trap door will beheld properly closed, when intended. A ftcr the hook 236 is struck bythe stud there will be a slight reverse rotation or recoil of theapparatus due to the engagement of the stud 2? with the finger 26, themomentum of the. moving parts and the force of the spring 32 operatingupon the shoe and hook. Huch recoil is utilized to free the hook fromthe stud received thereby and permitting the shoe to be restored to itsnormal position and for the stud to be received in the Further directrotation of the drum will now be prevented by the stud 28 upon thefinger 2(3 and the hook 36 will be withdrawn out of the path of the stud28 so as to permit the subsequeht rota (ion. The vertically extendingweb 30 of the brake shoe cooperates with a slot 14; of the upright barof the frame, whereby the brake shoe is held in a proper operativeplane. It will be understood that the webs of the frame members will beso positioned and formed as to not prevent the rotation of the drum inthe manner above described. Any suitable indicating or registering meanssuch as indicated at 41 may be employed in connection with thisapparatus, such means being preferably connected to the central shaft 11whereby the rotation thereof will be duly recorded.

Having thus set forth the preferred embodiment of this invention, butWithout desiring to be limited thereto except as required by the stateof the art, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the characterset forth,

the combination of a frame, a drum'mounted;

to rotate in said frame and having a plurality of pockets, a scale beampivoted on said frame, means-carried by the drum to engage the scalebeam, a controller pivoted on the frame and adapted to be engagedsuccessively by the scale beam engaging means to regulate t-he'rotat-ionof the drum, and means for varying the effectof the controller.

' In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a. frame, adrum mounted to rotate therein and having a plurality of pockets. weightindicating means connected to theframe, a brake shoe pivoted to theframe eccentric to the axis of the drum, and a series of studs carriedby the drum and adapted to successively engage the weightindicating'means and said brake shoe for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame, adrum mounted to rotate therein and having a series of pockets tosuccessively receive material, a weight indicator connected to theframe, a brake shoe pivoted to the frame, a series of studs carried bythe drum to successively cooperate with the weight indicating means andsaid shoe, and means associated with the brake shoe to positively stopthe rotation of the drum.

4. T he combination of the. frame, a drum mounted to rotate therein, ascale beam, a brake shoe connected to the frame, means carried by thedrum to cooperate with the scale beam and brake shoe," adjustable meansto vary the effect of the said engaging means with the shoe tofrictionally control the rolation of the drum, and means connected tothe shoeto positively stop said rotation of the drum.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT G. YERK.

Witnesses JouN OLso's, Grs'r. l CanLsoN.

